The tank was quite full, and continued so for two or three days after, when, without any great call upon it from the cattle, it sensibly diminished, and at length dried up, and we should have been obliged to fall back, if in tracing up the little gully we had not found a pond that enabled us to keep our ground.

It often happened that we thus procured water in detached localities when there was not a drop in the main channels of the creeks.

At this place the boiling point of the thermometer was 212 degrees; thus bringing us again pretty nearly on a level with the ocean, although we were at the time distant from it more than 480 miles.
At this period we had frequent heavy winds, with a heated temperature: yet our animals, if I except the dogs, did not suffer much.

The sheep, it is true, would sometimes refuse to stir, and assemble in the shade, when on the march, whilst the dogs took shelter in wambut holes, and poking their heads out, would bark at their charge to very little purpose.

It was evident, indeed, that the heat was fast increasing, and what we had already experienced was only an earnest of that which was to follow.
Mr.Poole had now been absent thirteen days, and I began to be anxious for his return.